In the "on-the-go" lifestyle of today, convenience and effective use of available space are common demands and expectations of consumers. This fact is certainly true with regard to golf, a sport which is enjoying an increase in popularity, especially in regard to vacations and the business world. As families and business people travel to meetings, vacations, conferences, etc., the recreation portion of those events frequently includes golf, which may necessitate traveling with golf clubs and a golf bag.
Whether travel is by ground or air, the traditional golf bag is bulky and difficult to transport. Storing a golf bag in a car trunk results in limited space for other items. Further, if more than one golf bag is stored in a car trunk, other items such as luggage and briefcases may need to be placed in the back seat area of the car, an area visible to potential thieves.
In similar fashion when air travel is involved, the traditional bulky golf bag can make the check-in and baggage claim procedures to be more difficult steps.
The prior art contains several attempts to provide a more useful and transportable golfbag. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,266,589 discloses a lightweight carrier for golf clubs, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,509,643 discloses a golf bag with a reinforcing insert tube.
Other golf bags or cases which can be used during travel are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,967,904; 5,333,731 and 5,465,839. Additionally, a convertible carrier for golf equipment is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,561.
However, the golf club carriers, bags and cases of the prior art do not provide the features and advantages which are needed for today's lifestyle. Therefore, a need continues to exist for a convertible carrier for golf clubs.